A high-society murder. A spirited lady detective. Can she out-class the killer before an innocent person takes the fall?

London, 1923. Olive Belgrave needs a job. Despite her aristocratic upbringing, she’s penniless. Determined to support herself, she jumps at an unconventional job—looking into the background of her cousin’s fiancé, Alfred. He burst into the upper crust world of London’s high society, but his answers to questions about his past are decidedly vague.

Before Olive can gather more than the basics, a murder occurs at a posh party. Suddenly, every Bright Young Person in attendance is a suspect, and Olive must race to find the culprit because a sly murderer is determined to make sure Olive’s first case is her last.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Olive Belgrave didn’t plan to become a detective, but she needed a job and when asked to look in the background of her cousin’s fiancé, Alfred, she can’t refuse. Before she can really delve into his history the man falls to his death at a party right before her eyes. There was someone else on the balcony so now her investigation is expanded into looking for a killer. Everyone the party is now a suspect and the murderer is determined to get away scot-free.

***

I liked Olive right away. A strong woman for the 1920’s, wanting to be independent. She is smart, inquisitive and well educated, although no real work skills, she just needs to find the perfect job. Her cousin’s Gwen’s telegram arrives when she is almost out of money. Her other cousin Violet has taken up with a man they know nothing about and he is very evasive about the details of his upbringing. Violet is in love and doesn’t care, but her mother and sister sure do, They decide to pay Olive to investigate Alfred Eton and that puts Olive one step closer to the independence she seeks. These characters and the rest in the story are very cleverly written. I worry about Olive’s father because of her overbearing stepmother. The group that attends the party thrown by Sebastian Blakely, Alfred’s godfather and noted photographer, are a hodgepodge group of aristocrats and hangers-on, and any of them could be guilty of the murder.

The mystery turns out to be much more that it seems at first. Twists and turns take us the reader and Olive in many different directions. While complex, the author has a very comfortable writing style that allows the reader to really take the journey with these characters. At times I forgot the story is set in the 1920’s even though the author hit all the right notes for the time period. I found myself totally immersed in the tale. I did enjoy all the descriptions of fashion and hairstyles of the era.

This series is off to a roaring start. A delightful look at high society London in the ’20’s. Fun characters, an extraordinary setting and a well-plotted mystery made for a truly entertaining read. I am looking forward to more High Society Lady Detective stories.

Publishers Weekly called Sara’s books, “satisfying,” “well-executed,” and “sparkling.” Sara loves to get new stamps in her passport and considers dark chocolate a daily requirement. Find out more at SaraRosett.com.

I really felt captivated to the story wanting to find out where the story would lead and can’t wait to see what is the next in this fabulous series!~Community Bookstop

Murder At Archly Manor had a steady pace and was an easy read. I enjoyed turning the pages and racing to the end to see what happens and who dun it.~My Reading Journeys

Murder at Archly Manor is a light, humorous historical cozy mystery that will transport you back to the roaring 20s.~The Avid Reader

With red herrings, plenty of suspects, and disreputable characters MURDER AT ARCHLY MANOR is a solid start to a new series.~Cozy Up With Kathy

Quirky and mysterious characters, secrets that must be kept at all costs, and an interesting, somewhat unpredictable plot made for a very enjoyable read.~Cassidy’s Bookshelves

The characters and the setting are well described to provide the feel and ambiance of 1923 London. If you enjoy British cozy mystery – or cozy mystery at all, you’ll enjoy Murder at Archly Manor.~Christa Reads and Writes

If you enjoy books with a Great Gatsby vibe then this book will be a perfect fit for you. It not only has a strong female character and 1920’s time period but also a strong mystery that will keep readers following the clues.~Bibliophile Reviews

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!

I am excited to have Kate Parker visiting today!

Planning for a Getaway by Kate Parker

I love running away to London. It’s the exact opposite of where I live. Big city. Good public transportation. Cool weather eight or nine months of the year. Ancient buildings made of stone. I live in a small town with no public transportation. We have warm weather eleven months of the year. While we have older buildings, there isn’t a stone in the entire county.

By the time you read this, I’ll be back from my newest trip to London. So this may not be my itinerary, and we may have adventures I’ve not dreamed of yet, but here is what I’m looking forward to between now and when I join you on Escape with Dollycas.

The British Library. The new building, near King’s Cross, is four stories of researchers, students, and tourists in a mix of business and silence. Since I already have a British Library card, with a photo that is every bit as bad as my driver’s license photo, I head straight to the basement to get a locker. No coats, hats, purses, pens, umbrellas, bottled water or cameras are permitted. All I take with me is my reader’s pass, a couple of pencils, my steno notebook, my wallet, and the key to my locker in one of the clear plastic bags they provide. The locker costs me a pound coin, but I’ll get it back at the end of my session.

The newsroom, with old newspapers on microfilm, is on the second floor. I’m looking particularly for fashion news from Paris in autumn, 1938, for Olivia’s next story. When I drag myself away, which I’d better do because I’m supposed to meet my daughter in the courtyard or lobby, there is always a chance we’ll browse through the shop on the first floor for reprints and clever oddities. Then it’s off for a pub lunch across Euston Road. I admit to a fondness for fish, chips, and mushy peas. My daughter shudders at the peas.

Wagamama. My older daughter lived in London for a while, and she introduced us to the original Wagamama. There are 12 in London now, plus in the US, Denmark, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malta, Sweden, and a bunch more places. It’s inexpensive, no frills, and not the place to take a meat and potatoes guy. I can’t wait.

Courtauld Gallery. It’s a gallery devoted to French Impressionism, which I love, and is situated in Somerset House, where sleuths of Miss Marple’s generation would go to discover who was secretly married to whom and the name and gender of heirs on whom a plot rests. I’ve never been there, but I know I’ll have to take a few pictures of the outside to stoke my imagination if I send someone there after a clue.

St. Luke’s Anglican Church. Built when the Duke of Wellington’s brother was the rector, I plan to use the building, moved to the right area, for the site of Georgia and the Duke’s wedding. That story, finishing the Victorian Bookshop Mysteries, will come out next year along with another pre-WWII story chronicling Olivia’s adventures as a society reporter that is sending me to the British Library.

Windsor Castle. I was last there in 1989 with my daughters. The daughter I’m meeting in London wants to see it again, and I think it will be great fun. Another reason to pack my camera. This time, I hope to cross the bridge and see the town of Eton as well.

West End Theatres. Every time I go over, I see a play, and I’ve never seen a bad one. Some have been popular and some have been surprisingly – different, but they’ve all been enjoyable. I have no idea what we’ll see until we go.

And that leads me to the variety of restaurants in London. Something you don’t find in a small town in the South. We ate at a tapas restaurant the last time we went to a play in London. My daughter, who used to live in Manchester and loves Indian foods, will get me to at least one, where I will explain I need the blandest dish they have. There are also a lot of good Chinese restaurants in London, which I enjoy. My daughter always finds the ones where I am the only person in the restaurant using a fork, which I had to ask for.

We usually do at least one walk, which has taken us all over London and shown us many things we never would have seen otherwise. Who knows where we’ll end up this time. That’s also true of Bletchley Park, the various war museums, the British Museum, the Museum of London, and a huge collection of other places to visit.

We won’t be over there for long, so I hope we find time to do at least most of these things. And when you read this, my daughter and I will once again be across the country from each other with pleasant memories of our trip and great relief at being home.

Synopsis:

Why murder a dying man?

Olivia Denis is hesitant to help an old family friend get ready for her wedding outside London. The so-called friend is a master at using people. As a young widow trying to find her way through a new romantic relationship, Olivia would rather avoid the large party.

She definitely didn’t plan to find the bride’s grandfather stabbed to death. The cruel, enormously rich aristocrat had changed his will only the day before, angering all his children.

As Olivia is forced to investigate the murder, she’s called away by her employer, the owner of an influential London daily newspaper. She must carry out another secret assignment, one that will take her to Vienna, now part of Nazi Germany.

With war on the horizon and attacks on the old man’s family increasing, can Olivia find a way to save lives in two countries?

Dollycas’s Thoughts

This is another fabulous story from Kate Parker.

Olivia Denis is back and getting ready for a wedding of an old family friend. The problem is this friend is treating her more like a servant than a life long friend and Olivia just goes along with it to keep the peace just to get through a wedding that had already been postponed more than once. When the bride goes to her grandfather’s room before the service Olivia is dragged along. What they find is the man dead with a knife in his chest and the bride tells her to keep it mum until after the wedding. Thankfully one of the real servants notifies the authorities. The bride begs Olivia to find the killer and we readers are off on another investigation with Olivia Denis.

The main plot is strong and compelling, the subplots are excellent and just as compelling. Kate Parker sets the scene, introduces the characters and draws us right in from the very first page. Olivia also makes a very dangerous journey for her employer and that part had me holding my breath. That coupled with the death and subsequent drama made for a book that was impossible to put down.

I discovered Kate Parker through her Victorian Mystery Series where she kept topping herself in each new book and now with this Deadly Series she is doing the exact same thing. I loved the historical aspects to the story along with the great mystery. The characters are colorful, unique and realistic for the time period. I love what a strong woman Olivia Denis is and the way she takes on whatever is asked of her. She doesn’t do anything halfway.

Kate Parker has wanted to travel to 1930s England since she read her mother’s Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers mysteries when she was a schoolgirl. After many years of studying science, she decided a time travel machine was out of the question so she found herself limited to reading about the period and visiting historic sites. Her love of this fascinating and challenging period led her to the research from which the Deadly series grew. Eventually, she found it necessary to spend several days in the British Library reading old newspapers, which meant another trip to England. Near Christmas. A sacrifice she’d gladly make every year.

The first story in the series is Deadly Scandal, released January 14, 2016.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Synopsis:

Olivia Denis is a contented young wife with a carefree life in late 1930’s London. Then her world is shattered with the violent death of her husband, Reggie. The police want to call it a suicide and close the case, but Olivia knows Reggie couldn’t possibly have fired the fatal shot.

Further mysteries surface surrounding her husband’s death. Did the trustworthy Foreign Office employee betray government secrets? Was his murder linked to the death of a German embassy clerk the same night? And who searched their flat?

Her desire for answers and her need to support herself cause her to break away from the pampered life she’s known and take a job. But with the much-needed paycheck as a society reporter for a newspaper comes a secret secondary assignment—one that involves her in the increasingly dangerous world of European politics as the continent slides toward war.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

This is a fantastic debut for this new series! Olivia Denis is one strong woman and I really admire the way she sticks to something when she starts it. She knew her husband could not have taken his own life but the path she takes to find out who really killed him opens doors and reveals more secrets than she ever could have imagined.

I loved Kate Parker’s Victorian Mystery Series. She has a great writing style and her stories feature strong women. I knew I would enjoy this book before I even started reading, but she exceeded all of my expectations.

She takes us back to the 1930’s in London. Olivia’s husband, Reggie, works in the Foreign Office and handles documents and diplomatic credentials. They had traveled to Germany a few times for his work. Could he have seen something to get him killed? As she tries to determine why he was killed we meet his boss and co-workers. We also meet a friend of Olivia’s who helps her get a job at a newspaper covering the society page. She is also doing some work on the side for the owner of the paper. This story takes place at the cusp before World War 2, where everyone seems to be spying on someone. Everyone is scared about what Hitler has planned. Many Jewish people are leaving Germany and others are holding firm. Parker really gives us a human side to these situations by introducing to some interesting characters and even takes our protagonist on a quick trip to Berlin. All of the characters we meet are richly detailed.

This author really knows how to set the scene. It is so easy to “see” all the places this story takes us. The details just form perfect pictures from the streets to the homes with their opulent parties and Olivia’s flat. Olivia quickly sketches what the ladies are wearing so she can describe them in her articles so those take vivid form as well.

She also knows how to plot a story that pulls us in and doesn’t let go. There are so many clues but they all have to come together in the right way to solve the mystery. I really enjoyed following in Olivia’s footsteps and having that “AHA” Moment almost simultaneously.

Parker has penned an excellent story that all historical mystery lovers will absolutely love. In addition to this fine story, the next best thing is that this is a series so we are going to be meeting some of these characters again and I am really excited about that.

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kate Parker has wanted to travel to 1930s England since she read her mother’s Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers mysteries when she was a schoolgirl. After many years of studying science, she decided a time travel machine was out of the question so she found herself limited to reading about the period and visiting historic sites. Her love of this fascinating and challenging period led her to the research from which the Deadly series grew. Eventually, she found it necessary to spend several days in the British Library reading old newspapers, which meant another trip to England. Near Christmas. A sacrifice she’d gladly make every year.

The first story in the series is Deadly Scandal, and she is hard at work on the sequel.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I am so excited to have Kate Parker drop by today for a visit to tell us about The Conspiring Woman.

Hi Everyone,

The Conspiring Woman, Book #4 of the Victorian Bookshop Mystery series, begins a few months after The Royal Assassin ends in the deepest part of winter. Georgia gets a new case from a father about his missing son. The child is only seven. Georgia is terrified for the child until the father adds the boy was last seen with his mother. The father doesn’t want his wife returned.

As Georgia begins to investigate, she learns about other well-to-do women who have vanished into the London fog. How she wishes she had the help of her closest confidants, but Emma is on her honeymoon, Aunt Phyllida is nursing a friend through a serious illness, and the Duke of Blackford is in the States checking out his investments.

Georgia finds the forward thinking daughter of the aristocracy who has been hiding the woman and her son. When the wealthy mother’s body is fished out of the Thames, Georgia returns to take the child to his father, only to discover the boy, her heir, is missing. And then the weather worsens.

As a bonus, the first chapter of the first book in a new series, Deadly Scandal, set in London in the late 1930’s is included.

About The Author

Kate Parker grew up reading her mother’s collection of mystery novels, and now she can’t write a story without someone being murdered in some fiendish way. It’s taken her years to convince her husband she hasn’t poisoned dinner; that funny taste is because she can’t cook. Her children have grown up to be surprisingly normal, but two of them are developing their own love of literary mayhem, so the term “normal” may have to be revised.

Her love of history has led her to write the Victorian Bookshop Mystery series, Regency novellas in Christmas Revels and Christmas Revels II, and a new series next year she’s calling the Deadly series. In all cases, bodies drop, clues are followed, and an intrepid lady sleuth saves the day. She can be reached at www.kateparkerbooks.com and on Facebook.

The fourth in the Victorian Bookshop Mystery series. Georgia Fenchurch must find a missing boy and his mother. When the mother is found dead, the race is on to find the child. Georgia searches to learn who was behind the mother’s murder and the disappearance of not only this woman, but several more well-to-do women in late Victorian London. Meanwhile, Georgia is counting the days until the Duke of Blackford returns from his business trip to America. As much as she wants to see him, she fears he will return with a rich American bride like so many other British aristocrats. Can she rescue the young boy and win the duke?

Dollycas’s Thoughts

I am so sorry to see this series ending. It truly is one of my favorites. Kate has wrapped things up with a magnificent bow.

The Archivist Society has a new case. A woman and her son are missing and strangely the husband only wants his son found. This raises many flags for Georgia especially when the mother is murdered. Sir Edward becomes her prime suspect. She travels all over London to find the boy and when she finds him she has huge reservations about reuniting him with his father.

The Duke of Blackford is traveling about America and Georgia can’t wait until he returns. She is afraid he may have found a bride while he was gone. His letters don’t ease her fears.

Kate Parker transports us to Victorian England. The imagery is superb. I don’t think I could ever live in England with all that rain but the cover of the book looks so inviting at this time of year.

The characters in the series are some of the most enjoyable I have known. Georgia seems to have no fear and her inquisitive nature makes her a top-notch sleuth. Blackford is quite a gentleman and needs a woman like Georgia. Sir Broderick deals with a disability on a daily basis but leads The Archivist Society and negotiates the sales of treasured books better than anyone else could. As a disabled person myself it is so good to read about a man like him. All of the characters are wonderfully created and so full of depth.

In addition to the missing boy mystery, the author also wraps up the mystery of Georgia Fenchurch parent’s death and the incident that left Sir Broderick in a wheelchair. I was very surprised with the way this played out. What people would do for a rare book is just astounding.

Things do wrap up quickly because the author did not want to leave her readers hanging. When a publisher ends a series the author often doesn’t know until the last book has been released. I applaud Kate Parker for self publishing this last book. I would love to read more about these characters but am excited to know she has a new series in the works. She shares the first chapter of Deadly Scandal with us and it looks very promising.

I have loved every book in this series. The trips back in time are so captivating. I recommend reading this series in order to follow the progression but they each can be read on their own. Thank you Kate for sharing Georgia and her friends with us.

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

I am giving away my review copy!!

Contest is open to anyone over 18 years old with a US or Canadian mailing address.

Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.

You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will find something you like here and become a follower.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I am over the moon to have D.E. Ireland visit today. Before I started reading Move Your Blooming Corpse the whole My Fair Lady movie with Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison ran through my head so I was hearing their voices loud and clear as I escaped right into this book. I may have to use this line in my review 🙂

Eliza’s Escape

When Eliza and Professor Higgins aren’t solving crime, they spend much of the week teaching their pupils how to properly speak the King’s English. On their days off, Higgins spends his free time wandering about London, notebook in hand, jotting down every interesting turn of speech he overhears. Eliza, however, prefers shopping, visiting sweet shops, and going to the cinema. Here are a few places where Eliza is certain to be found when she’s not correcting a student’s poor diction at 27A Wimpole Street.

WHITELEYS – While the popular PBS series has made Selfridges a recognizable name to Americans, it is Whiteleys that is mentioned in Shaw’s Pygmalion. Indeed, after Eliza moves to Wimpole Street, Colonel Pickering replaces her few raggedy clothes with a lovely new wardrobe from Whiteleys, as this exchange from the play proves.

HIGGINS: Where does one buy a lady’s gown?PICKERING: Whiteleys of course.HIGGINS: How do you know that?PICKERING: Common knowledge.

And why shouldn’t Pickering know that? After all, Whiteleys was the first department store in London. By 1913 it had been in operation for decades. Due to a series of fires, Whiteleys was rebuilt four times; following the fourth fire, the business was moved to Queens Road, reopening in 1912. The new Whiteleys was the world’s largest British store, as well as the most luxurious building in London. It even boasted a roof-top golf course, elevators, and a theater. When Eliza shopped there, she would be greeted by a tiered atrium, glass domes, a splendid sweeping staircase, and marble floors. Taking up an entire city block, Whiteleys offered Eliza the pleasure of shopping for everything from the latest lingerie to furniture. In fact, the elegant department store was such a retail prize that Selfridges, their greatest rival, purchased Whiteleys in 1927.

THE ELECTRIC CINEMA & PICTUREDROME – Perhaps even more than shopping, Eliza loves going to the cinema. Pictures of her favorite silent screen performers decorate her bedroom walls, and she is an avid reader of Photoplay. In 1913, the two most famous movie palaces in London were the Electric Cinema in Notting Hill and the East Finchley Picturedrome, which boasted a café and full orchestra. Eliza would have been thrilled not just by the movie, newsreel, and live music which accompanied the screenings, but by the impressive Art Deco architecture of both theatres.

It wasn’t all as fancy as it sounds however. Many movie palaces initially did not have rest rooms, which was problematic when children attended the shows. And because many male patrons brought cigarettes and cigars to the showing, Eliza would often watch the film through a cloud of tobacco smoke. This may have been why many cinemas of that era were rather odiferous, requiring theatre attendants to regularly spray the air with disinfectant fluid. Still Eliza tries to attend the cinema every Friday, where she sits gazing up at the screen, riveted by such stars as Dorothy and Lillian Gish and matinee idol Max Linder.

BAYSWATER CONFECTIONERY – Given how much Eliza loves sweets, she usually stops in at Bayswater Confectionery during her day off. Unfortunately, Eliza can no longer go to another favorite spot – the tea pavilion at Kew Royal Botanical Gardens – which was burned down in early March by the suffragettes. That caused an even greater uproar than when they trashed the orchid house. While Eliza supports the cause, she finds it puzzling that suffragettes targeted the tea pavilion. After all, most of the patrons were women. Luckily, London boasts more than enough tea rooms and confectioneries to satisfy Eliza’s sweet tooth.

When Eliza is done shopping at Whiteley’s, she heads for Bayswater Confectionery, only a stone’s throw away from the famous department store. Here she buys her favorite chocolates, particularly Fry’s chocolate creams – dark chocolate with a fondant center, plain, peppermint, and orange. Fry’s were first produced in 1866, and are now made by Cadbury’s. In fact, Cadbury’s milk chocolate bars were introduced in 1913.

SELFRIDGES – Eliza is an Edwardian shopaholic, and retail therapy takes up much of her free time. Although she received her first fashionable wardrobe from Whiteleys, Selfridges might be Eliza’s favorite store. She especially loves their celebrated first floor window displays! Curtains hide the workers whenever a new display design is expected, and patrons eagerly await each unveiling.

www.fanpop.com

She always checks out the millinery department’s latest hats and the perfume counter’s numerous cases filled with lovely atomizers and unique bottles of fragrance. But Eliza – along with other ladies of 1913 – is most excited to visit the cosmetics counter. Queen Victoria believed cosmetics were vulgar and should be used only by creatures such as actresses and streetwalkers. But Gordon Selfridge began selling cosmetics in 1909, believing that once women were able to sample them, they would soon buy. He was right! Powder kept the face pale, and Edwardian ladies applied a touch of rouge on the cheeks to give them a youthful glow. However makeup did not become standard for most women until after WWI.

Of course, Eliza also keeps up with 1913 fashion by visiting the department store displays of dresses, skirts, and jackets. Selfridges offers both “off the rack” clothing and custom made ensembles. They often host “fashion parades” for customers to show off the newest designs. Many well-born ladies of the era still prefer private dressmakers, and the upper class flock to Maison Lucile to see Lady Duff Gordon’s exclusive designs. Selfridges, however, catered to all the social classes; their bargain basement was extremely popular. As a Cockney flower girl turned lady, Eliza bridged the social classes just as Selfridges did. That may be why she views Selfridges as the perfect store.

You can also read more about Eliza and Higgins in WOULDN’T IT BE DEADLY, the first book in the St. Martin’s Minotaur mystery series.

About the authors –

D.E. Ireland is a team of award-winning authors, Meg Mims and Sharon Pisacreta. Long time friends, they decided to collaborate on this unique series based on George Bernard Shaw’s wonderfully witty play, Pygmalion, using the beloved characters from Eliza to Higgins to Pickering, Mrs. Pearce, Freddy Eynsford Hill and his family, while adding a slew of new characters. They both live in Michigan, have patient husbands, brilliant daughters and share a love of good books, tea and history.

In the second book from talented writing team D.E. Ireland, famous literary characters Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins once again come to life as a hilarious investigative team. Move Your Blooming Corpseexplores the Edwardian racing world and the fascinating characters who people, from jockeys to duchesses, in this delightful traditional mystery that will appeal to fans of British mysteries.

Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins are at the posh Royal Ascot, the biggest horse racing event of the season. Eliza’s father is the new co-owner of a champion racehorse, and Eliza and Henry are excited to cheer the Donegal Dancer on to victory. However, their idyllic outing takes a serious turn when a victim is trampled during the Gold Cup race and someone is found murdered in the stables.

With time running out before the upcoming Eclipse Stakes, she and Higgins investigate jealous spouses, suffragettes and the colorful co-owners of the Donegal Dancer. But can they outrace the murderer, or will there be another blooming corpse at the finish line?

Dollycas’s Thoughts

I was chomping at the bit waiting for this book to come out. (A little horse humor ?) But I really was excited to read this. I loved the first book in and the series. My Fair Lady is one of my all time favorite movies, in fact the whole thing played in my head before I started reading so Eliza and Higgins voices were very present in my mind which got me off and running at the starting gate. (too much, sorry.)

As you can tell the story revolves around horse racing and things were “loverly” until people starting dying. Then Eliza and Higgins were right in the thick of things much to dear Freddie’s dismay.

These characters are so superb, I love them all, even the guilty ones. They go above and beyond the movie and my expectations. They jump right off the page. The dialogue is absolutely delightful. The exchanges between Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins are so blooming funny.

This author team has whipped up quite a mystery too. We go behind the scenes of horse ownership and racing and we also travel to a few suffragette rallies and Eliza gains a new skill. It comes in quite handy too and she and Henry come down the stretch to catch a killer. (sorry, I just can’t help myself.) There were a few pretty suspenseful moments that made by heart race pretty quickly.

As with the first book once I started reading I just couldn’t stop and I was sad that it ended. A marvelous read! Completely captivating! Another one that will be on my Best Reads list for 2015. I will barely be holding my horses until next year for the next installment to the fantastic series. (o.k. I’ll stop now.)

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

The authors are giving away 3 Hardcover Copies!

Contest is open to anyone over 18 years oldwith a US mailing address.

Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.

You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will findsomething you like here and become a follower.

Leave a Comment for the Authors for 5 Bonus Entries!!!!

Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow.Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Liking My Facebook Fan Page.

If you publicize the giveaway on Twitter or Facebook or anywhere you will receive5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.

Contest Will End October 8, 2015 at 11:59 PM CSTWinner Will Be Chosen By Random.orgWinner Will Be Notified By Emailand Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Kate Parker is my guest today and she is here to tell us about her favorite escape and her new book, The Royal Assassin, that was released July 7.

Thank you, Lori, for asking me to talk about my favorite escape.

I’ve always been a fan of French Impressionist painting, and several years ago I had the opportunity to visit Paris. One of the first places I had to see was the Musee d’Orsay. In a gallery on the top floor was a display of Renoir’s paintings. I walked around a corner and BAM! I saw Dance at The Moulin De La Galette in person for the first time.

To say I was struck by the power of that painting is an understatement. I felt as if at any second, I’d be able to hear the music and the laughter and see these people start to move. All this from paint daubed on a 4 foot by 6 foot canvas.

At that moment, I knew I wanted the words in my stories to come alive like the people in that painting.

Also on display that day was Dance in the Country, the most erotic painting I’ve ever seen despite the fact both characters are fully clothed. From the expression on his face and the positioning of his body, you just know what’s on his mind.

And then there was the painting of Julie Manet. When I first saw it, I thought she didn’t like Renoir, perhaps was even afraid of him, and he captured that in the painting. Later I learned her father had just died and her mother was dying when this portrait was painted. Renoir caught her sadness and fear perfectly.

When I wrote The Royal Assassin, I knew my Russian Princess Kira would be a talented painter with knowledge of French Impressionism and skill in painting in that style. I made painting an important part of her makeup and her desire to paint influences much of what happens in the story. Painting is her passion and her escape.

In that, Princess Kira and I have something in common. The three paintings mentioned above could well have been viewed when she traveled to Paris before the start of The Royal Assassin and are still as powerful today. Unlike me, the princess could have met Renoir and not just admired his legacy.

Berkley wisely used Princess Kira’s talent for painting on the cover of The Royal Assassin. I find it one of the most beautiful book covers I’ve ever seen. Take a look and see if you don’t think so too.

Escape with Princess Kira and the Russians in late Victorian London as an assassin follows their trail, and Georgia, the duke, and the rest of the Archivist Society try to stop the killing. so curl up in your favorite easy chair with The Royal Assassin and raise your cup of tea to the giant talent that was Pierre Auguste Renoir.

From the author of The Vanishing Thief and The Counterfeit Lady comes an all-new Victorian mystery featuring antiquarian bookseller Georgia Fenchurch, who doubles as a private investigator for the secret Archivist Society…

When the Duke of Blackford enters her bookstore, Georgia knows the Archivist Society is in need of her services. The Tsar of Russia and his family are visiting Queen Victoria on the auspices of the engagement of the Russian princess Kira to the son of the Queen’s cousin. When Kira’s bodyguard is found dead on a train returning from Scotland, the Queen calls on Blackford to discreetly protect the princess and prevent an international incident.

The Russian royalty refuses help in finding the murderer, suspecting anarchists and demanding every extremist in London be hanged. But that is far from the English way. To get the job done, Georgia must go undercover as Kira’s English secretary. She soon discovers that anarchy isn’t the only motive in the case—and that someone is determined to turn royal wedding bells into a funeral dirge.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

The Russians are coming in this 3rd Victorian Bookshop Mystery and the Archivist Society puts Georgia Fenchurch right into the middle of the chaos. Russian Princess Kira is engaged to the Queen’s cousin and she has come to town to spend some time getting to know him better. Or has she? It seems the princess may have another mission in mind. Her bodyguard has been killed and the Queen is worried for her safety. Georgia is placed in the home undercover to protect her and to try and find out who is behind the recent murder. She is also trying to figure out Princess Kira’s real reason for her visit.

Kate Parker does it again. I stayed up late to finish this story because I could not put it down. I absolutely love Georgia. She goes wherever she is asked putting herself in danger time and time again. He relationship with the Duke of Blackford is very complicated and frustrating. Georgia is a commoner meaning she cannot marry the Duke if he wants to keep his title. Her dear friend Emma is also a brave soul and is in a complicated relationship herself with the Duke’s right hand man. Lady Phyllida Monthalf is worried about all of them.

The Archivist Society is quite a group. The devise a plan and follow through with excellent results. The Duke of Blackford is a key member and even Sir Broderick in his disabled state is a force to be reckoned with. His logistics are a big part of their success.

This author does an excellent job blending the history and the mystery. She peppers it with just the right amount of romance and humor too. I felt like a birdie on Georgia’s shoulder traveling about London, from her home, to her shop, to the East End, and everywhere in between.

I am anxiously awaiting and very excited about the next book in this series. I am truly hoping that the next adventure shows the Duke that he can’t live without Georgia and the author finds some way for them to be together.

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

Thanks to the people at Penguin I have 2 copies to give away! 1 from them and my review copy.

Contest is open to anyone over 18 years old with a US or Canadian mailing address.

Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.

You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will find something you like here and become a follower.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Writing under the pen name D.E. Ireland, award-winning authors Meg Mims and Sharon Pisacreta have teamed up to write the Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins Mystery Series for St. Martin’s Minotaur. Their debut book Wouldn’t It Be Deadly hit the shelves Sept. 23, 2014. They based their series on George Bernard Shaw’s 1912 play Pygmalion. Long-time Anglophiles, both Meg and Sharon have escaped to England in the past, and are dying to go there again!

Hi, I’m Meg and my first trip overseas occurred in 1983. My younger brother, serving in the USAF in Spain, had the brilliant idea to meet my older sister and me in London. Needless to say, we jumped at the idea. I spent a month researching spots to visit, bed-and-breakfasts, train routes and schedules, castles, houses, etc. We bought airfare, booked a car for the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, and the B&B plan. And then my brother couldn’t get leave. So my sister and I flew to England for eleven days. I did get jet lag, unfortunately, and fell asleep on the double-decker bus tour of all the lovely London city highlights.

But we visited the Tower, saw the crown jewels, the chopping block, plus the British Museum and Reading Room. Ate at the Sherlock Holmes pub, saw the portraits at the National Gallery, and the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. Then we headed off by train for the rest of England. Windsor Castle, Warwick Castle, Oxford (I would live there, definitely!), Stratford-on-Avon, Stonehenge… we loved it all.

My sister took the wheel in the Lake District. We were scared silly by the sheep ambling over the hilly roads in the Yorkshire Dales, which is green, remote and just gorgeous. York was also a highlight, walking along the wall of the old city, and seeing the meandering narrow alleyways.

I stopped at a small shop before we took the train back to southern England. I didn’t say a word, only placed the items I wanted to buy on the counter. The woman looked up at me and handed me a coin. ‘Take it, we can’t use it here,’ she told me. I stared at the silver dime in shock. ‘How did you know I’m an American?’ I asked her. She laughed. ‘You’re so tall, and you’re wearing trousers!’”

I also noticed how much people walk everywhere. My sister and I almost got lost in the maze at Hampton Court – that was quite scary, and while she ate every type of fish imaginable, I was so ready for an old-fashioned American hamburger once I got home again. Teatime was definitely something we loved! I passed that tradition on to my friends and my daughter, who collects teapots and teacups.

I intend to go “on holiday” to England with my daughter, hopefully next year in time for Royal Ascot. I’d love to see all those wonderful hats in person!

~Meg

Hi, this is Sharon, and I’ve been lucky to visit Britain twice. The first time I was a jet lagged teenager in London for three days on a foreign study trip, and couldn’t begin to do it justice. However 17-year-old Sharon did love a few things about that stay, namely the Tower of London, and the cute British guys who flirted with my friend and me. As I said, I was a teenager.

My best escape ever occurred in 1987 during a six-week trip to Britain. After a blissful week in Ireland, I moved on to England, Scotland, and Wales. Being a writer, my backpack was filled with paperback books. I had ample opportunity to read as I traveled primarily by rail, which made for many relaxing hours spent gazing out train windows at the Yorkshire dales, western Highlands and Welsh countryside. Some of my best memories revolve around me, a book, and one of those plastic wrapped sandwiches sold on BritRail trains.

Because I was a graduate student in archaeology, I worked at a Roman fort in Northumberland for a week. Lodged at a boarding house along the Northern Sea, I often hiked after dinner atop the cliffs that overlooked the sea. When I found a spot sheltered from the wind, I’d settle back with a book, accompanied by the haunting sounds of crashing waves and gull cries.

Only later did I learn it wasn’t safe for a woman to be there close to dusk. The lady who ran the boarding house was appalled I’d been walking there alone in the evenings. The rugged coastline was once a haven for smugglers, and dangerous men still frequented the area. Luckily the few people I met during my hikes were quite cordial. And not a smuggler seemed to be among them.

A week later I headed up to Scotland. One afternoon, I climbed to the top of Arthur’s Seat, a hill overlooking Edinburgh. Afterwards, I couldn’t bring myself to leave the natural beauty I’d discovered just outside the city. So I pulled a book out of my backpack and plopped down among the grassy hillocks. There wasn’t a sound to be heard until a Scotsman finally appeared walking his terrier. I would not have been surprised at that moment to learn I’d been transported – Outlander style – to another time. And if that gray-haired Scotsman had looked more like the novel’s Jamie, I might still be there!

I also remember a wondrous day spent at Kew Gardens outside London. Toward the end of my visit, I sat beside a pond with a book of poetry. I had just finished reading a haiku about geese when I looked up. No more than two feet away were a line of geese silently walking past me, as if reluctant to disturb my reading. Some may call this a coincidence. I think of it as a moment of serendipity and magic – much like my entire trip to Britain.

~Sharon

About The Author/s

D.E. Ireland is a team of award-winning authors, Meg Mims and Sharon Pisacreta. Long time friends, they decided to collaborate on this unique series based on George Bernard Shaw’s wonderfully witty play, Pygmalion. While they admit the lovely film My Fair Lady and its soundtrack proved to be inspiration, they are careful to stick to Shaw’s vision of the beloved characters from Eliza to Higgins to Pickering, Mrs. Pearce, Freddy Eynsford Hill and his family, while adding a slew of new characters they’ve dreamed up to flesh out their own version of events post-Pygmalion.

Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins make an incomparable pair of sleuths in the start of a delightful new series…

Following her successful appearance at an Embassy Ball—where Eliza Doolittle won Professor Henry Higgins’ bet that he could pass off a Cockney flower girl as a duchess—Eliza becomes an assistant to his chief rival Emil Nepommuck.

After Nepommuck publicly takes credit for transforming Eliza into a lady, an enraged Higgins submits proof to a London newspaper that Nepommuck is a fraud. When Nepommuck is found with a dagger in his back, Henry Higgins becomes Scotland Yard’s prime suspect.

However, Eliza learns that most of Nepommuck’s pupils had a reason to murder their blackmailing teacher. As another suspect turns up dead and evidence goes missing, Eliza and Higgins realize the only way to clear the Professor’s name is to discover which of Nepommuck’s many enemies is the real killer. When all the suspects attend a performance of Hamlet at Drury Lane, Eliza and Higgins don their theatre best and race to upstage a murderer.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

My Fair Lady is one of my all time favorite movies! This story picks up after the Embassy Ball and I absolutely loved it! I immediately heard the voices of Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison, Wilfrid Hyde-White and Mona Washbourne.

A “loverly” idea to turn Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins into sleuths. They make a wonderful team. The barbs they throw at each other are hilarious and so true to their characters. Colonel Pickering is still the voice of reason and Mrs. Pearce is there to soothe flustered feathers and keep everyone’s belly full.

The author has us travel all over London even back to where Higgins found Eliza selling flowers. With Higgins as the prime suspect Eliza is determined to prove his innocence. While doing so she puts herself in danger and still there is no one that is able to give Higgins an alibi. It seems Mr. Henry Higgins has a secret and even though revealing it would prove his innocence he is unwilling to give any details to anyone. I was very surprised by this secret and it is the one thing that left me a conflicted about the story, but as with all stories the reader just has to follow where the author leads.

This is a fantastic story. It is suspenseful but tempered with a good bit of humor. I may not have been dancing but I stayed up all night to finish reading this delightful mystery. I was laughing at loud in places which disturbed Mr. Dollycas but I couldn’t put this book down. Charming, captivating, engaging, and a must read. “Where the devil are my slippers?” I am ready to read the next installment of this series right now!

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

I am giving away my Advance Review Copy!

Plus the publisher is giving away 2 Hardcover Copies!!!!!!!!!!!!

Contest is open to anyone over 18 years oldwith a US or Canadian mailing address.

Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.

You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will findsomething you like here and become a follower.

Leave a Comment for the Authors for 5 Bonus Entries!!!!

Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow.Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Liking My Facebook Fan Page.

If you publicize the giveaway on Twitter or Facebook or anywhere you will receive5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.

Contest Will End October 8, 2014 at 11:59 PM CSTWinner Will Be Chosen By Random.orgWinner Will Be Notified By Emailand Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

In The Counterfeit Lady, my heroine, Georgia Fenchurch, experiences a summertime heat wave. She lives in late Victorian London, before air conditioning, electrically run refrigerators, and swimming pools. Cooking or lighting a fire is going to give off lots of heat. What is Georgia going to do?

Open windows. Stay out of the sun. Enjoy summer fruits, including those brought from the Mediterranean countries on refrigerated steam ships that made a favorite summertime drink, lemonade, possible. Anyone who could afford it would travel out of London to the seaside or the countryside, looking for relief everywhere from the Isle of Wight to Scotland. This era began beach vacations in England with the arrival of inexpensive train tickets and the building of summer resorts along the coast.

Georgia is a bookshop owner. She expects to continue to suffer through the London heat wave selling books and magazines to people too hot to do anything but read. She and her assistant Emma are busy in the shop, leaving the front and back doors open to catch any breeze. She isn’t about to lay a fire or have Phyllida cook anything but the lightest meals. And since this story is told about late-Victorian times, all three women are working in the heat while wearing corsets!

Then the Duke of Blackford returns to Georgia’s life, asking her to help him with a case of murder and espionage. A set of blueprints for Britain’s revolutionary new warship have been stolen from the study of the ship’s designer and his wife has been murdered. The designer’s wife was a cousin of Lady Phyllida, and when Phyllida learns of the killing, she wants Georgia to find the person responsible.

The duke also wants Georgia’s help because Scotland Yard believes the designer killed his wife and burned the blueprints to give himself an alibi. Why else have a fire in the fireplace on the hottest day of the year?

Georgia has another theory. The windows to the study were wide open and the killer could have left that way with the ship drawings. But why did the dead woman order the fire?

The duke believes the theft was engineered by the spies of a nation embroiled with Britain in the naval arms race of the 1890s. And no one had a better spy network or had invested more in the warship-building race than the Germans. The duke believes a German diplomat is their master spy and is waiting for receipt of the ship plans.

First Book in this Series

The Archivist Society, the organization of sleuths that Georgia belongs to, is called in to help locate the plans and the killer. Georgia is assigned the task of entering aristocratic society as a newly-arrived widow from the British Empire. With the help of Lady Phyllida who enters the upper-crust society she’s been hiding from for many years, Georgia begins the role of the duke’s paramour. Emma serves as their lady’s maid while passing messages to the Archivist Society and questioning the servants.

Now Georgia learns how the other half beat the heat. Sleep during the day and attend soirees at night with all the windows open, or travel away from London to country house parties. But there’s no rest for Georgia, who works in her bookshop while society women sleep and plays her roll tracking the spy through high society in the cool of the evening.

My interest in how people beat the heat in Georgia’s time comes from stories I’ve heard. When I was young, an elderly relative told me about a heat wave in the city she lived in. People brought out blankets each night and slept under the stars in the city parks. The police had to increase their patrols to prevent burglaries in all these empty households. And this was from a very proper relative who never went camping!

If you were in late-Victorian London, how would you have survived a summer heat wave?

~Kate
The first books Kate Parker read as a child were Nancy Drew mysteries and her mother’s Agatha Christie novels, and now she can’t write a story without someone dropping dead by chapter five. After years living in the Nation’s Capital, Kate moved to the South and began crafting historical mysteries. The first of the Victorian Bookshop mysteries, The Vanishing Thief, came out in December 2013 with the next, The Counterfeit Lady, arrived this August.

Who would suspect antiquarian bookseller Georgia Fenchurch of leading a double life—as a private investigator for the clandestine Archivist Society in Victorian London? When England’s national security is compromised, Georgia must pose as a titled lady to root out a spy…

Georgia, Lady Phyllida Monthalf and Emma return in this second Victorian Bookshop Mystery, as do the members of the Archivist Society and The Duke of Blackford. This time of Lady Monthalf’s cousin Clara has been killed and a set of very important blueprints stolen. Clara’s husband has been arrested for treason and his wife’s murder. The Duke of Blackford enlists Georgia, Emma and Lady Phyllida’s help to catch the real killer. The fun begins when Georgia learns she will be playing the part of the duke’s new paramour, as if she doesn’t already get nervous enough around him. Georgia, a middle class bookshop owner posing as a titled Lady, what could go wrong? Well as we have learned with Georgia anything and everything.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Georgia is an extraordinary character and she is doing double duty trying to keep her bookshop afloat with a little help from her Archivist Society members while dashing off to party after party on the arm of the Duke, all in an effort to find the missing plans and the person responsible for a very brutal murder. She is a very intelligent woman but at times the clues take both her and the reader in circles. Plus she finds herself more and more drawn to the Duke of Blackford. Her mind knows a relationship between classes is highly unlikely but her heart is full of hope.

I thought the story had a real Cinderella vibe. From the moment the plan was put together both Georgia and Emma, who is acting at “Lady Georgina’s” maid, are treated to new clothes and all the accessories. Georgia attends fancy balls and dinners with the Duke arriving in the most beautiful carriages.

The mystery was quite good too as it appears that only Clara and her husband Kenneth were in a locked room when the robbery and murder took place. There are several suspects but placing them in that room is tough. Remember this story is set in Victorian times, no CSI techs checking for fingerprints and DNA.

I started reading this book on a beach during our recent Family Fun Day and I quickly noticed this was a book that needed my full attention, so I put it away and picked it back up as soon as I could the next evening and finished it at 2:14 a.m. the next morning. Once I started reading I just could not stop.

Parker takes us back in time and keeps us on our toes with very interesting characters, history and mystery. She adds a nice balance of humor and romance too. The dialogues were very entertaining. Anxious for book #3.

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

Thanks to the people at Penguin I have 2 copies to give away!

Contest is open to anyone over 18 years oldwith a US or Canadian mailing address.

Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.

You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will findsomething you like here and become a follower.

Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow.Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Liking My Facebook Fan Page.

Leave a comment for Kate for 5 Bonus Entries !

If you publicize the giveaway on Twitter or Facebook or anywhere you will receive5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.

Contest Will End September 3, 2014 at 11:59 PM CSTWinners Will Be Chosen By Random.orgWinners Will Be Notified By Emailand Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!! I am excited to have Carol here today! Technically her books are not cozies as India is an agent of Her Majesty’s Government but these mysteries are full of humor, romantic tension and fantastic characters. If you like your cozies that take you back in time or across the pond you will love India Black.

KEEPING IT FRESH
by Carol K. Carr

I’m four novels into the India Black series, and I’m not tired of her yet. Or of Lachlan French, Vincent, the Marchioness or any other of the series characters I’ve introduced. That may seem like an odd thing to say, but authors do grow weary of their creations. Arthur Conan Doyle famously killed off Sherlock Holmes only to bring him back several years later, in part because Doyle got tired of being harassed about Sherlock’s untimely demise by fans of the detective.

But just because I say I’m not tired of India doesn’t mean that I think she should never change. We all grow and develop, even as adults, and while India would declare that she is perfect just as she is, she must also stretch her wings a little or we’ll all get bored.

So, how to keep India interesting? Some things are easy. I’ll send her off to South Africa with French, posing as missionaries. The very idea tickles me. The comedic possibilities boggle the mind. My mind, anyway. Because what could be more amusing than a, ahem, brothel owner masquerading as a daughter of the church?

I can also put India in circumstances that make her uncomfortable. She’s my character, after all, and I can do what I like. India claims she doesn’t possess the emotions typically sported by the average human, so why not put that premise to the test? Will she admit to a growing fondness for the Marchioness, or mistake that unsettling feeling for indigestion?

And then there’s the painful, even tortured, relationship India shares with French. That has to move along soon. I don’t want the readers to get restless. Has the tease gone on long enough? Probably. But don’t anticipate a future of white picket fences and (shudder) children for the two of them. India wouldn’t be India if she meekly accepted the role of Victorian wife. I almost feel sorry for poor French.

Well, there are a few ideas for keeping India fresh. I hope you’ll all be around for future installments.

Thank you, Lori, for the opportunity to appear as a guest on your blog.

India Black’s double life operating a high-class brothel and running high-stakes espionage for Her Majesty’s government can take its toll. But there’s no rest for the weary—particularly when an international conspiracy comes knocking…

India Black is one of Victorian London’s most respected madams—not a bloody postmistress. So when Colonel Francis Mayhew forwards a seemingly innocuous shipping bill to her address, she’s puzzled. And when three thugs bust down her door, steal the envelope, and rough up both her and fellow agent French…well, that’s enough to make India Black see red.

The veteran spies soon discover that Mayhew has been butchered in his own bedroom. An impromptu investigation leads them to London’s docks, where India makes a startling discovery she can’t bear to tell the rakish French—she has a history with their chief suspect, the gentleman thief who once stole her heart…

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Each story is better than the last and Carr’s writing and her characters continue to evolve. India is the madam of Lotus House, a London brothel, where gentleman of of very high rank in government and military are welcomed daily. She has grown from just a madam to work as an agent for Her Majesty’s Government with full approval of the prime minister while maintaining the brothel. It makes a great cover. I have loved India Black since the start but the India in this story starts to let her guard down just a bit. The tension both romantic and in general between India and French is reaching a peak. We also learn more about India’s past and French’s too. Having the Marchioness of Tullibardine and her entourage underfoot at Lotus House gives the story a whole new dimension and even makes Vincent shine.

The story is full of action as India, French and Vincent travel from the War Office to the dirty, gritty docks and around the English countryside trying to catch a killer and stop a international smuggling ring. They find themselves in some quite precarious situations.

What I love about these stories is these fantastic characters are all unique and even facing serious danger their personalities continue shine through. India is a very stubborn woman, French puts up with her and does his best to keep her safe. Their dialogue is full of sarcasm and wit and at times had me laughing out loud.

We met the marchioness in India Black and the Widow of Windsor and the gentleman thief connects to the short story India Black and the Rajah’s Ruby,which is a prequel to the series. The stories take place in pretty quick succession. We are given just a hint as to what India and French will be up to in the next installment as this story ends. To truly enjoy this series it should be read in order.

A truly great series I recommend highly.

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

Thanks to the people at Penguin I have 2 copies to give away!

Contest is open to anyone over 18 years oldwith a US or Canadian mailing address.

Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.

You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will findsomething you like here and become a follower.

Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow.Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Liking My Facebook Fan Page.

Leave a comment for Erika for 5 Bonus Entries !

If you publicize the giveaway on Twitter or Facebook or anywhere you will receive5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.

Contest Will End March 12, 2014 at 11:59 PM CSTWinner Will Be Chosen By Random.orgWinner Will Be Notified By Emailand Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Georgia Fenchurch appears to be an unassuming antiquarian bookseller in Victorian London, but the life she leads is as exciting as any adventure novel. For Georgia is a member of the Archivist Society, a secret association of private investigators led by the mysterious Sir Broderick.

When a frantic woman comes to Georgia claiming that her neighbor, Nicholas Drake, has been abducted by the notorious Duke of Blackford, Georgia and the Archivist Society agree to take the case. But Drake is no innocent—he is a thief who has been blackmailing many of the leading members of London society. To find Drake and discover who is behind his abduction, Georgia and her beautiful assistant, Emma, will have to leave the cozy confines of their bookshop and infiltrate the inner circles of the upper crust—with the help of the dashing but dubious Duke of Blackford himself.

But the missing thief and his abductor are not the only ones to elude Georgia Fenchurch. When she spies the man who killed her parents years ago, she vows to bring him to justice once and for all…at any cost.Dollycas’s Thoughts

There is a lot happening in this debut. A man is missing, a cold case (the murder of our protag’s parents) is brought to the forefront when the killer may have been spotted out and about in London and a death of a young woman is being questioned.

There are also a slew of characters from Georgia Fenchurch, to her employee and best friend Emma, Phyllida, their “aunt”, who all live together. The members of the Archivist Society including Sir Broderick, Lady Westover and her grandson Inspector Grantham. Add to that Drake, the missing man, the frantic woman searching for him and all the members of the upper crust who could be responsible for his disappearance including the Duke of Blackford. There are many more supporting characters too.

At first all of this was a little hard to follow but then the story hits a rhythm where all 3 stories and all the characters come together.

I really like several characters. The dialogue at a formal dinner party between Georgia and her table mates was quite humorous. The Duke and Georgia are quite suitable despite of their different classes. Seeing her rub shoulders with the Lords and Ladies shows she is very intelligent and resourceful and not just a woman who inherited a bookshop.

The story has more than the expected number of twists and turns for a book of this type, keeping the reader on their toes.

I enjoyed this trip back to Victorian times. A time before phones, cars, and many things we take for granted. When a trip to the country took days and to call the authorities you had to send a person with a message or find a bobbie on the street.

This is my first Kate Parker novel but according to her website she started out writing Romantic Suspense. She has made a fine transition to cozy mysteries by combining all her strengths – history, suspense, humor and romance. The Vanishing Thief is a nice blend of all four. I anxiously await the next Victorian Bookshop Mystery.

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

To find out more about Kate Parker check out her webpage here. Like her on Facebook here. Become her Fan on GoodReads here.

Thanks to the people at Penguin I have 1 copy to give away!

Contest is open to anyone over 18 years old with a US or Canadian mailing address.

Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.

You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will find something you like here and become a follower.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Thank you to my wonderful sponsors!!

Elizabeth J. Duncan

Set in North Wales, Canadian amateur sleuth Penny Brannigan attends a dinner party at a posh country house--where a historic chair disappears and a waiter is murdered.

Artist and spa owner Penny Brannigan has been asked to organize a formal dinner to mark the centenary of the armistice that ended World War One. After dinner, the guests adjourn to the library for a private exhibition of the Black Chair, a precious piece of Welsh literary history awarded in 1917 to poet Hedd Wyn. But to the guests' shock, the newly restored bardic chair is missing. And then Penny discovers the rain-soaked body of a waiter.

When Penny learns that the victim was the nephew of one of her employees, she is determined to find the killer. Meanwhile, the local police search for the Black Chair. The Prince of Wales is due to open an exhibit featuring the chair in three weeks, so time is not on their side. A visit to a nursing home to consult an ex-thief convinces Penny that the theft of the Black Chair and the waiter's murder are connected. She rushes to Dublin to consult a disagreeable antiquarian, who might know more than he lets on, and during the course of her investigation confronts a gaggle of suspicious travelers and an eccentric herbalist who seems to have something to hide. Can Penny find the chair and the culprit before she is laid to rest in the green grass of Wales?

Nancy Lynn Jarvis

New Cozy Series!

Law Librarian Pat Pirard got an unexpected thirty-fifth birthday present: a pink slip. Now she has nine weeks to reinvent herself before she runs out of money. Her best friend Syda gives her a glass-forming class as a birthday present and distraction where Pat again gets a surprise: a murder.

Cynthia Kuhn

The Subject of Malice is the strongest book in this series to date.
~Carstairs Considers….

The organizers have rustled up plenty of surprises for the literary conference at Tattered Star Ranch. But the murder of an influential scholar wasn’t on the program—someone has clearly taken the theme of Malice in the Mountains to heart. This shocking crime is only the beginning: Other dangers and deceptions are soon revealed.

English professor Lila Maclean has a full agenda: She must convince a press to publish her book (possibly), ace her panel presentations (hopefully), and deal with her nemesis (regrettably).

However, when Detective Lex Archer requests Lila’s academic expertise, she agrees to consult on the case. While her contributions earn high marks from her partner, it could be too late; the killer is already taking aim at the next subject.

As Lila races to keep her colleagues alive, publish or perish takes on new meaning.

Debra Sennefelder

One of the tour guests committed murder, and all eyes are on Hope’s older sister

Leaving behind a failed career as a magazine editor and an embarrassing stint on a reality baking show, newly divorced lifestyle entrepreneur Hope Early thought things were finally on the upswing—until she comes face-to-face with a murderer . . .

Hope’s schedule is already jam packed with recipe testing and shameless plugs for her food blog as she rushes off to attend a spring garden tour in the charming town of Jefferson, Connecticut. Unfortunately, it isn’t the perfectly arranged potted plants that grab her attention—it’s the bloody body of reviled real estate agent Peaches McCoy . . .

One of the tour guests committed murder, and all eyes are on Hope’s older sister, Claire Dixon—who, at best, saw Peaches as a professional rival. And suspicions really heat up when another murder occurs the following night. Now, with two messy murders shaking Jefferson and all evidence pointing to Claire, Hope must set aside her burgeoning brand to prove her sister’s innocence. But the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she gets to a killer intent on making sure her life goes permanently out of style . . .

Elizabeth McKenna

Mystery with a splash of romance…

Chicago Tribune reporters Emma and Grace have been best friends since college despite coming from different worlds. When Grace is assigned to cover an annual charity ball and auction being held at a lakeside mansion and her boyfriend bails on her, she brings Emma as her plus one. The night is going smoothly until Emma finds the host’s brother unconscious in the study. Though at first it is thought he was tipsy and stumbled, it soon becomes clear more is afoot, as the wall safe is empty and a three-million-dollar diamond necklace is missing. With visions of becoming ace investigative journalists, Emma and Grace set out to solve the mystery, much to the chagrin of the handsome local detective.

Though American by birth, Frances Wynn, the now-widowed Countess of Harleigh, has adapted admirably to the quirks and traditions of the British aristocracy. On August twelfth each year, otherwise known as the Glorious Twelfth, most members of the upper class retire to their country estates for grouse-shooting season. Frances has little interest in hunting—for birds or a second husband—and is expecting to spend a quiet few months in London with her almost-engaged sister, Lily, until the throng returns.

Instead, she’s immersed in a shocking mystery when a friend, Mary Archer, is found murdered. Frances had hoped Mary might make a suitable bride for her cousin, Charles, but their courtship recently fizzled out. Unfortunately, this puts Charles in the spotlight—along with dozens of others. It seems Mary had countless notes hidden in her home, detailing the private indiscretions of society’s elite. Frances can hardly believe that the genteel and genial Mary was a blackmailer, yet why else would she horde such juicy tidbits?

Aided by her gallant friend and neighbor, George Hazelton, Frances begins assisting the police in this highly sensitive case, learning more about her peers than she ever wished to know. Too many suspects may be worse than none at all—but even more worrying is that the number of victims is increasing too. And unless Frances takes care, she’ll soon find herself among them . . .

A page-turning mystery full of wonderful characters,
humor, Southern charm, and just a little bit of romance.

When a last-minute opportunity arises to accompany her boss to an art auction in Atlanta, Lilly throws some money at the problem of where to board her toy poodle Aggie (short for Agatha Christie). Posh Pet Haven offers the most luxurious canine accommodations in all of Chattanooga, Tennessee. The place even provides pet cams so anxious owners can check in on their pampered pooches.

But when Lilly tries to take a peek at her poodle, she gets a terrible shock—she witnesses what she’s sure is a murder. She thinks the victim may be the wealthy co-owner of Pet Haven. The police follow her lead but find no body, no evidence of a crime, and no video record. Starting to feel like the dog owner who cried wolf, Lilly decides to go undercover to catch a killer who may be hiding in plain sight …

Maggie Toussaint

Using normal and paranormal senses, Baxley matches wits with a cunning adversary.

Justice for the dead and solace for the living is Baxley Powell’s creed, but she faces uncharted territory in this sixth book of the Dreamwalker Mystery Series. The Suitcase Killer has struck again, only this big city menace is now a problem for Baxley’s hometown. As that investigation heats up, a local woman is reported missing. The sheriff orders Baxley to work the missing person’s case.

Listening to the dead is familiar ground for Baxley but finding a missing young lady isn’t in her skill set. Besides, her dreams rarely follow a timeline. With the clock ticking, can this crime consultant discover a way to reach the living?

Her main source of help in the afterlife, a mentor named Rose, is unavailable. Instead, Baxley must rely on her wits and her Native American boyfriend, Deputy Sam Mayes, to find leads. Each shared dreamwalk and energy transfer binds them closer together, creating another issue. Mayes wants to marry Baxley but it isn’t that easy. They’re hampered by their community roles in opposite ends of the state.

Baxley juggles the pressure of two high-profile cases, a determined suitor, and expanding her limits. One thing is certain. Without her extrasensory sleuthing, the missing woman will die.

Meg Macy

Sasha and her sister Maddie are thrilled that the Silver Bear Shop and Factory has won the Teddy Bear Keepsake Contest, which means they get to produce a holiday specialty toy, a wizard bear named “Beary Potter.” Promising to be just as magical is Silver Hollow’s annual tree-lighting ceremony and village parade. Only one hitch: the parade’s mascot, Santa Bear—played by Mayor Cal Bloom—is missing.

After a frantic search among the floats, Bloom is found dead. When the outfit is removed, it’s clear the mayor’s been electrocuted. Who zapped hizzoner and then stuffed him into his Santa Bear suit? While the police investigate the grisly crime, Sasha attempts to track down the murderer herself, with some help from the Guilty Pleasures Gossip Club. Can they wrap up this case in time for Christmas—or will Sasha meet her own shocking end?

Zara Keane

Two Times, Two Crimes…

Dee Flanagan loves Irish history, bad rom-coms, and red lipstick. Dead clowns, injured time travelers, and shoot-outs don’t make it onto the small-town reporter’s Top Ten list. After the bullets stop flying in Dunleagh Castle’s courtyard, it’s up to Dee to convince people she didn’t imagine a gunfight played out between two centuries.

With the body count rising, and no one willing to believe Dee’s time travel theory, she’s forced to team up with a man who’s either a bona fide fruit cake or a police officer from the year 1919. Using her expert knowledge of the Irish War of Independence, Dee sets out to solve a century-old crime, plus a modern-day murder.

Suzanne Trauth

DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY

Restaurant manager Dodie O’Dell has found her niche in the cozy New Jersey town of Etonville, creating menus that make a delicious double-act with the community theater’s productions. Now she’s ready for a vacation at the Jersey Shore town she called home before a hurricane hit. Sun, salty air, and seagulls make for a nostalgic escape from regular life—until a contingent from Etonville arrives to compete in a Jersey Shore theater festival.

Roped into helping her former boss cater the event, Dodie also gets a visit from her old flame, Jackson, who’s hoping to revive his charter boat business and is looking for a place to crash. Before Dodie can tell him that ship has sailed, Jackson’s partner is found murdered on his boat. Dodie knows her ex is a mooch, but she’s sure he’s no killer. But as she follows a trail of evidence that leads into her own past, Dodie stumbles on a dangerous conspiracy theory that could bring the festival to a shocking finale…

Anna Gerard

New Cozy Series

What’s black and white and dead all over? Georgia bed and breakfast proprietor Nina Fleet finds out when she comes across a corpse in a penguin costume.

Nina Fleet’s life ought to be as sweet as a Georgia peach. Awarded a tidy sum in her divorce, Nina retired at 41 to a historic Queen Anne house in quaint Cymbeline, GA. But Nina’s barely settled into her new B&B-to-be when a penguin shows up on her porch. Or, at least, a man wearing a penguin suit.

Harry Westcott is making ends meet as an ice cream shop’s mascot and has a letter from his great-aunt, pledging to leave him the house. Too bad that’s not what her will says. Meanwhile, the Sisters of Perpetual Poverty have lost their lease. Real estate developer Gregory Bainbridge intends to turn the convent into a golfing community, so Cymbeline’s mayor persuades Nina to take in the elderly nuns. And then Nina finds the “penguin” again, this time lying in an alley with a kitchen knife in his chest.

A peek under the beak tells Nina it’s not Harry inside the costume, but Bainbridge. What was he doing in Harry’s penguin suit? Was the developer really the intended victim, or did the culprit mean to kill Harry? Whoever is out to stop Harry from contesting the sale of his great-aunt’s house may also be after Nina, so she teams up with him to cage the killer before someone clips her wings in Peach Clobbered, Anna Gerard’s charming first Georgia B&B mystery.

Paula Darnell

DIY Diva Laurel McMillan rejoices when her student Jennifer's peacock pillow wins a design contest; that is until Jennifer's husband Matt is smothered with the very same pillow. When the police confiscate her prize-winning pillow, Jennifer freaks out, and Laurel fears that Jennifer may be more upset about losing the pillow than about Matt's death. But the police arrest disgraced nurse Edna Elkins, not Jennifer. Begging Laurel to find the real killer, Edna insists she's innocent, but Laurel's not so sure, and when Laurel encounters Jennifer while walking her lovable Labrador retriever, Bear, she's left with more questions than answers. Should the crafty DIY Diva play DIY Detective or does Edna really belong in jail?

Heather Haven

When chefs Charly and Cliff Harding divorce, she gets custody of their upscale restaurant and its namesake, Felix, the cat. He gets custody of their dog, Oscar. But what they both still have custody of is each other’s heart. and they seem to be the only two in the small ski resort town of Snow Lake, Nevada, who don’t know it. Cliff opens his own restaurant in direct competition with Charly’s and bad things start to happen. Death threats, accidents, and murder are now on the menu.

Their ‘if-you-can’t-take-the-heat-then-get-out-of-the-kitchen’ battles are backfiring on them. But can they find their way back to each other? Or will they spend the rest of their livesin prison unjustly accused of murder?

Debra Goldstein

Coming September 24, 2019

Far from a domestic goddess, Sarah Blair would rather catch bad guys than slave over a hot stove. But when a dangerous murder boils over in Wheaton, Alabama, catching the killer means leaving her comfort zone . . .

Things are finally looking up for Sarah Blair following her unsavory divorce. Settled into a cozy carriage house with her sassy Siamese cat, RahRah, she has somehow managed to hang on to her modest law firm receptionist job and—if befriending flea-bitten strays at the local animal shelter counts—lead a thriving social life. For once, Sarah almost has it together more than her enterprising twin, Emily, a professional chef whose efforts to open a gourmet restaurant have hit a real dead end . . .

When the president of the town bank and city council is murdered after icing Emily’s business plans, all eyes are on the one person who left the scene with blood on her hands—the Blair girls’ sharp-tongued mother, Maybelle. Determined to get her mom off the hook ASAP, Sarah must collect the ingredients of a deadly crime to bring the true culprit to justice. But as neighbors turn against her family, can she pare down the suspects before another victim lands on the chopping block?

Anna Celeste Burke

Coming September 10, 2019

The curtain may fall on the Calla Lily Players’ first season unless Lily and Austin can find a killer on the loose in California’s wine country. Torrential rains threaten to put a damper on The Calla Lily Players’ first outdoor theater production. When the ground suddenly shifts, buried secrets revealed amid the tangled vines put the spotlight on murder. As Lily and Austin dig deeper into the mystery, the drama unfolds onstage and off. The race is on to find a killer before opening night.

Grab your copy of the second book in the Calla Lily Mystery series by USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, Anna Celeste Burke and join the race! Recipes Included.

Jodi Rath

New from Jodi Rath!

Financial fraud of elderly villagers in Leavensport, an urban sprawl threat to the community, disastrous dates, cross-sell marketing gone wrong, and another murder? Jolie Tucker is ready to try dating again. Well, she has no choice—since her family auctioned her off to the highest bidder. Her best friend, Ava, has agreed to a double date, but both friends find out hidden secrets about their partners as well as deception by one of the village's own, who will soon be found dead. This plot is sure to be spicy!

Laura Childs – Cackleberry Club Mysteries

The Christmas season at the Cackleberry Club café is marred by murder in the latest book in the New York Times bestselling series.

Some say that casting crusty attorney Allen Sharpe as Scrooge in the Kindred Players production of "A Christmas Carol" is just playing to type. He's not the most beloved man in town. In fact, you'd have a dickens of a time finding someone who liked him. Still, it's a shock when the Ghost of Christmas Past stabs him during the first rehearsal. Suzanne, co-owner of the Cackleberry Club café, Kindred's favorite combination diner, craft store and bookshop, chases the murderer out of the building but loses him in the alley.

As the days pass the list of suspects grows longer. Is it the disgruntled partner? The former secretary whom Sharpe sexually harrassed? Or is it fellow owner of the Cackleberry Club, Toni's almost ex-husband, Junior? The women of the Cackleberry Club are determined to find the killer before he can add another victim to his Christmas list.

Laura Childs – Tea Shop Mysteries

Theodosia Browning serves tea and solves crimes in Charleston, a city steeped in tradition and treachery in the latest Tea Shop Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Laura Childs.

It is Sunday afternoon, and Theodosia and Drayton are catering a formal tea at a hot-air balloon rally. The view aloft is not only stunning, they are also surrounded by a dozen other colorful hot-air balloons. But as the sky turns gray and the clouds start to boil up, a strange object zooms out of nowhere. It is a drone, and it appears to be buzzing around the balloons, checking them out.

As Theodosia and Drayton watch, the drone, hovering like some angry, mechanized insect, deliberately crashes into the balloon next to them. An enormous, fiery explosion erupts, and everyone watches in horror as the balloon plummets to the earth, killing all three of its passengers.

Sirens scream, first responders arrive, and Theodosia is interviewed by the police. During the interview, she learns that one of the downed occupants was Don Kingsley, the CEO of a local software company, SyncSoft. Not only do the police suspect Kingsley as the primary target, they learn that he possessed a rare Revolutionary War Union Jack flag that several people were rabidly bidding on.

Intrigued, Theodosia begins her own investigation. Was it the CEO's soon-to-be ex-wife, who is restoring an enormous mansion at no expense? The CEO's personal assistant, who also functioned as curator of his prized collection of Americana? Two rival antiques' dealers known for dirty dealing? Or was the killer the fiancée of one of Theodosia's dear friends, who turns out to be an employee—and whistle-blower—at SyncSoft?

Laura Childs – Terrie Moran – Scrapbook Mysteries

<An exploding Mardi Gras float has got to be the strangest murder weapon scrappy sleuth Carmela Bertrand has ever encountered in this latest Scrapbooking Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author.

It's Mardi Gras in New Orleans and scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand is excited to be attending the Pluvius Parade along with her best friend Ava. Carmela's ex-husband Shamus rides by the duo on his float at the head of the parade, when suddenly the revelry turns to disaster. Shamus' float crashes and explodes, and although Shamus escapes unhurt, a member of his krewe is killed.

Carmela and Ava plunge into an investigation of the krewe-member's death, but as they dig deeper it starts to look less like an accident and more like a murder....and Shamus seems less like a victim, and more like a suspect.

Blogoversary

Best Reads 2019

Best Reads 2019
These books have received my
Paradise Rating

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend books, products, or services I use personally and/or believe my readers will appreciate. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”